Correlation between jugular and central venous pressures in laterally recumbent horses.

OBJECTIVE

To compare and correlate right atrial pressure, which represents central venous pressure (CVP) to jugular vein pressure (JVP) in laterally recumbent horses under anesthesia.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective clinical trial.

ANIMALS

Seven adult healthy horses (411 ± 8.7 kg).

METHODS

Horses were sedated with IV xylazine and anesthesia was obtained with IV ketamine and diazepam. Anesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane in oxygen. All horses were positioned in left lateral recumbency. An 8F catheter introducer was inserted into the right jugular vein to measure JVP. An 8F catheter introducer was inserted into the left jugular vein to be used as the port for a 7F 110 cm catheter that reached the right atrium to measure CVP. Both, CVP and JVP were measured simultaneously with a water calibrated aneroid manometer using the sternum as the 0 cmH(2) O reference point. Measurements were compared using Spearman correlation and the Bland-Altman plot.

RESULTS

Twenty paired samples were obtained over a period of 2 hours. The CVP ranged from 7 to 31 cmH(2) O, while the JVP ranged from 5 to 30 cmH(2) O. The Spearman correlation coefficient indicated that CVP and JVP had a strong correlation with r = 0.88. The Bland-Altman plot showed a bias of 0.7 cmH(2) O.

CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Jugular vein pressure showed a strong correlation with CVP in healthy, euvolemic, laterally recumbent anesthetized adult horses. Thus, JVP cannot replace CVP but it may be used clinically to monitor CVP in laterally recumbent horses.